Saturday, January 19, 2008

[Please help the Meekers and Springs of Life re-build. Your donation will go directly to "Meeker Support" or "Rebuild the Springs" project of Friends of Mercy. "Our Work is Connected to An Altar!"]

I'd first like to apologize for not posting this week. My original plan was to man the booth at the CTS Fort Wayne symposium and update the blog at night. Well, God's grace and "Thy will be done" is what keeps me going.

I ended up losing my voice Monday and Tuesday. So I thought, good, I'll have a strong finish at the symposium. Of course, I talked too much on Wed., met with a few Fort Wayne donors and then ended up at Dr. Just's party for the deaconess program.

Well, I was down and out again on Thursday and Friday. When Sell doesn't go to a banquet for good food and an opportunity to hear Erin Bode, you know he's sick. (If you haven't heard her sing, you are really missing something. She is a Lutheran to boot! :). She does work to help LCMS World Relief with a beautiful CD of songs and hymns with the Themba Girls) But, as always, I pray, "Thy will be done" and do what I'm able.

Ok, on to the work at hand.

One of the things I enjoy so much about working with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya and her congregations is how the members work hard to help themselves. So it is with Pastor Meeker's congregation, Springs of Life in the Kibera slums.

The clean up has begun. Pastor Meeker sent me these pics this morning as they start walking down the long road to restoration. Members are carrying away the ashes and coals from the fires of the parsonage.

Pastor Meeker is doing a lot of good work to bring the people together and move forward. He and the ELCK faithfully put "faith & mercy" in practice. Services continue with the regular giving of the body and blood of Jesus for forgiveness along with an ongoing food program to care for his parishioners.

In an hour I leave for Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville, MO for another opportunity to proclaim the word and explain how "Lutherans are Making A Difference!" because faith and mercy can not be separated.